Destiny
by Jennyb793
Summary: Do you believe in magic? Isabel didn't. But when chaos rattles her world and she is transported back to Camelot, she has no choice but to believe. Will she be able to blend in in a place she knows nothing about. And will she be able to keep herself from falling for a man that lived over a century before her? ArthurXOC
1. Chapter 1

_No person, no matter how great, can know his or her destiny. They cannot glimpse their part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone they must live and learn. But everyone has a destiny. And sometimes those destinies cross centuries and millennia. Sometimes those destinies are so strong that they can make the impossible become reality. And sometimes those destinies are intertwined…. _

"Excuse me! Sorry!"

__I pushed past people on the streets, calling out apologies as I made my way through the crowd. Kait was going to kill me. I had promised that I wouldn't be late this time. Or more like _again_. I skidded down the block, shoving open the doors of the Starbucks and stumbling inside. I got a few curious looks from people standing in line but I ignored them, instead looking around wildly.

When I finally caught sight of the person I was looking for I sighed. Luckily her dark red hair stood out amongst the people scattered in booths around the store.

I dropped into the seat next to my sister and she sighed.

"Isabel. I told you nine so you would be here by nine thirty and still you're late."

"I'm not too late. I mean it's only-" I looked down at my watch. "Nine thirty eight…." I sighed, then smiled sheepishly. "Well at least it's still in the nine thirty range right?"

Kait sighed too. "I really hope you don't show up to class like this."

I practically groaned. It was only my second month in the city and already my older sister was babying me. And it wasn't as if there was even that large of an age gap between us. I was only four years younger and those years did not give her the right to act like my elder.

"I don't." I said shortly, then quickly changed the subject. "How is Jeremy?"

Kait smiled, a very different picture from the stern face she had been giving me just a moment before. "He's good. He got an A on his math test last week."

"That's great." I smiled. I missed our younger brother. I hadn't been able to hug him for nearly three months and it felt like a lifetime. I hated being separated from my family for too long. But then again, it was my own fault that I had been away for so long.

"So do you have that King Arthur thing tonight?"

"Huh?" Kait's words snapped me out of my daydream but when they sunk in I rolled my eyes. "It's not a 'King Arthur thing,' it's Medieval Times."

"How did an English major get to be an equestrian trainer at a medieval carnival?"

"It's not a carnival." I explained forcing myself to be patient. "And I told you I like my job. I get paid to work with horses, what's better than that?"

"Making real money?"

Damn Kait was in a great mood today. I bit back a sharp comment. It wasn't entirely her fault she was so judgmental. I had made a lot of decisions in my life that she thought were foolish and this was just another one to add to the list.

"I'm twenty two." I said. "I just finished college. I will take what job I can get."

Kait opened her mouth to say something else but I cut her off.

"Speaking of which-" I clicked the screen of my phone to check the time, then pushed back from the table. "I have to go."

"What?" Kait stared at me in confusion. "You just got here."

"I know. But I work in exactly forty-five minutes and I do not want to be late. Got to run."

I leaned forward and hugged her ignoring her indignant cries as I pushed open the door and exited the store.

OoooooooO

"Isabel, there you are!"

I glanced up from my brushing to see Abigail leaning over the door of Destiny's stall. Abigail was another worker at Medieval Times and although she worked in wardrobe- while I worked with the horses- she and I had become fast friends.

"Hey, Abby." I smiled and went back to my work, still speaking as I kept my eyes focused on the brush in my hand. "What's up?"

"Are you excited for the show tonight?"

"Excited? I don't know what you mean."

"Oh don't give me that." Abby rolled her eyes and smiled. "You know exactly what I mean, it's Destiny's big day! Isn't it, girl?"

She spoke the last words to Destiny, stroking the white patch on her nose. I smiled. Of all the horses, Destiny was by far my favorite. She was a bit skittish but that was to be expected. The woman that had sold her to us found her in a field. There was no one around and no one knew how she had gotten there. I had worked with her for the past two months and slowly she had gotten to know me. No one else could get her to listen and certainly no one could calm her down like me. So our supervisor, Jayne, had assigned me to look after Destiny. Tonight was her first night performing in the show and it was my job to get her ready.

I gave the horse a final brush before patting her side.

"She looks good. Just have to get her tacked up before they take her out."

"Are you going to watch?"

"I'm not sure." I reached for Destiny's bridle and nudged her head gently to the side so that I could slip the bit into her mouth.

"You should!" Abby reached for something in her pocket and pulled out a sliver of carrot, offering it on her open palm. Destiny let out a pleased snort and immediately devoured the treat.

"Look! She's starting to like me more."

I laughed. "Only cause you feed her carrots ever time you see her. You know that will slow her down in the show if she gets too fat."

"She won't get fat from carrots. You're being dramatic."

"I am not!" I tugged, making the last few adjustments on Destiny's saddle before turning to my friend. "I just want everything to go well tonight."

"It will!" Abby smiled reassuringly. "Trust me, tonight is going to be a night to remember!"

OoooooooO

_My lords and ladies, welcome to Medieval Times! _

The crowd went wild as the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. Beside me Destiny shifted uneasily and I gently touched her nose.

"Shh, girl. It's alright."

The actor on her back glanced down at me. "Is she alright?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she'll be fine. No worries."

I turned back to Destiny, speaking softly to her until Jayne arrived, announcing that it was time to go.

"Alright, people! Show time!"

My stomach felt tight but I knew that it was just nerves. I just wanted Destiny to do well and she would. I took a step back, making room for the horses to go past. They filed forward slowly, with Destiny in the lead. Tonight she would start the show. The events began with a battle scene and I had spent endless hours working to make sure that she was ready. Everything was going to be fine.

As the lights in the arena went down I edged forward, watching as the first few men ran out, surrounding the horse. They shouted and wielded swords but to my relief Destiny did not panic any more than she was supposed to.

"There you go, see?" A voice came from behind me and I turned to see Abby, smiling as she watched the show. "Everything is going great."

I smiled too, but just as I was about to turn back to watch the battle there was a crash of thunder. I gasped, the beginning of the show was supposed to be dramatic but that sounded like real thunder. And more than that, the sound had come from inside the arena.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Abby asked.

"That sound." My eyes swept the arena before finally landing on Destiny. Her eyes, which moments ago had been calm, were now wide with fear. She reared back and the men around her cried out, jumping back to avoid being hit by her hooves. The man on her back was taken by surprise and hit the dirt with a hard thud.

Abby gasped. "What's going on?"

I hardly heard her. I was already moving forward.

"Isabel! What are you doing?" Abby went to reach for my arm but I brushed her aside.

Something was wrong.

More thunder rumbled through the building, shaking the ground. A few of the audience members screamed but I ignored them as I rushed into the arena. I stumbled on the dirt, falling to my hands and knees but I pushed myself up rushing forward again.

"Destiny!" I called, trying to get the horses attention.

She was rearing and pawing at the air as men ran to avoid her. I pushed past one of the knights and jumped up to grab her reins. I pulled to get her feet back on the ground but she was too frightened to notice me. She lashed out again and one of her hooves struck my shoulder. I gasped in pain, concentrating hard to keep my hold on her. I pulled again and finally managed to get her feet on the ground. I pulled her head so that she was facing me and stroked her nose.

"Easy, girl." I said, repeating the words over and over again. "Easy, girl. Easy, Destiny. Calm down."

There was another crack of thunder followed by the sound of splintering wood. I gasped and looked up as a beam from the ceiling collapsed, crashing to the ground just feet from where we stood. Destiny whinnied in fear and I held tight to keep her from rearing again.

Suddenly a bright light filled the arena, momentarily blinding me.

"What on Ear-?" I gasped but I didn't even get a chance to get the words out before everything went black.

**Well there you go! Hope you guys liked it. I have always loved King Arthur and after I had a dream a few weeks ago (about a certain gorgeous blonde haired prince) I got hooked on the idea of writing a Camelot story. The beginning is a bit fast but I wanted to get to Arthur and Merlin. Let me know what you think!**

**Also please forgive any mistakes I may have made about the way things are run at Medieval Times. I went there once as a kid and was so enchanted by it but I have not been back in about nine years so I did my best to find videos online and add in parts that go well with the story. **


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up with my face in the dirt. I had no idea where I was or how I had ended up on the floor. Something brushed my head and I groaned, rolling into my back. Destiny was standing over me, neighing nervously as she pawed at the ground.

"Destiny?" I groaned and reached up, gently touching her nose. What happened? Had I fallen off her back during training? I must have hit my head pretty hard on the arena floor to have passed out. But that didn't make sense. I hadn't worked with Destiny today because she needed rest for the show. The show….

Suddenly everything came flying back to me. The thunder, the chaos and the bright light. I gasped and sat up, immediately regretting it as my head spun. I turned to look around and I felt my stomach drop. I wasn't in the arena anymore. Instead I was sitting in a large field. The grass spread out almost as far as I could see with a forest way off in the distance to my right.

I pulled myself to my feet, using Destiny to steady me and that's when I saw it. We were standing in front of a giant castle. My mouth dropping open.

"Oh my God."

"You there!" A voice thundered and I spun around to see a group of men approaching me on horseback. They were dressed in full armor and if I didn't know any better I would guess that they were knights. The man leading them pulled his horse to a stop just short of me. He was young, probably no more than two or three years older than me, with deep blue eyes and gorgeous golden blonde hair.

I was so busy staring at him that I didn't realize that he had spoken to me until I heard his next words.

"Do you think that she has some mental ailment?"

_ What?_

"Um, excuse me." I snapped, feeling irritation creep up on me. Who the hell did this guy think he was? "I can hear you. And no, I do not have a mental ailment. Where the hell am I?"

"Hell?" One of the other knights looked at me curiously. "You are not in hell my dear, do you not see all around you? Why would you say such a thing?"

How was I supposed to know where I was? One second I had been in the arena and the next thing I knew I was here. This could be hell for all I knew. Why had he taken my words so literally? I shook my head and ignored him, instead turning back to face the blonde man.

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"No." He said flatly and I was taken aback by his reply. Well I was not expecting that. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Like I was not the one dressed in full knight gear. I should be asking who he was. What was this, some prank some of my coworkers had pulled on me? It seemed a little extreme to knock me out for a joke. "I'm Isabel."

"Isabel." The blonde man repeated my name then nodded as if he approved. "Why are you dressed as so? And what is your business in Camelot?"

"Why am I dressed as what?" I opened my mouth to ask what he meant when the rest of his sentence set in. "Camelot?" I nearly choked on my own breath. "Are you- Could you guys seriously not think of anything better? Camelot is a little obvious."

"I beg your pardon?"

I rolled my eyes and clapped my hands together. "Alright, ha ha you guys are really funny but that's enough. The joke is done."

"This is not a jest."

"Wow you actors really do get into your roles. How come I have never seen you before? You would think they would put the most handsome man front and center."

"What is she going on about? The girl really is mad. " One of the men spoke up and I shot him a dirty look.

"Seriously guys, stop it. I just want to go home, this is all a little much for me. I just want to have some chocolate and watch t.v. and-" I opened my mouth to say more when there was a loud thud.

I jumped as the blonde rider jumped down from his mount and took a few steps towards me.

"What are you doing?" I stepped back automatically and felt my back hit Destiny. I had almost forgotten that she was there.

"You have a beautiful horse." The man said and I smiled despite myself, reaching out to stroke Destiny's back.

"Yeah she's pretty special."

"What is her name?"

"Destiny." At the sound of her name the horse raised her head and I laughed. I

was so busy looking at her that I didn't notice how close the man was to me until he reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Hey!" I gasped, fighting to get out of his grip. "Let me go! What are you doing?"

"Taking you to the castle." The man nodded to his knights and two of the men dismounted and handed their reins off as they came to stand next to us. "You are obviously quite distressed at the moment. And I'm still not convinced that you are not mad. We will have Gaius take a look at you."

He took a step back and two of the men grabbed my arms while the other took Destiny. The mare whinnied in fear and I felt my body tense.

"Okay, stop!" I said loudly and the men froze for a moment.

"Yes?" The blonde one asked.

"Please, I'll come with you, just let me lead my horse. She's scared."

For a moment I thought he was going to deny me, but he nodded. "Very well. The man will walk along side you to ensure that you do not try to run."

I nodded and waited as the men stepped back. Then I reached out and took Destiny's reins, gently stroking her nose to calm her down. I followed the men through the field and up to the gates, which opened without question.

"You know," I said as we walked, "if you're going to kidnap me the least you could do is tell me your name."

The man threw me a look over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the road in front of him. "Arthur."

"Hmm." I nodded. Made sense. If they were going to act like this was Camelot then of course the front man would be Arthur. "So Arthur, how is your kingdom going?"

"It is not mine."

He said the words matter-of-factly but they took me by surprise. I didn't know everything there was to know about Arthur in mythology, but I did know that he was king.

"Whose is it then?"

"My father's, Uther Pendragon."

_His father's._ That was odd. Why would they go to that much trouble to make an elaborate back-story? We had older crew members but I doubted they would bother getting in on a joke like this. And I also doubted that they would approve of knocking me out, kidnapping me and using the show horses.

Wait a second…

I turned my head and for the first time allowed myself to examine the horses that the knights rode. I may have only just started at Medieval Times but I spent my entire days working with the horses and I did not recognize a single one of these. Why would the cast of Medieval Times knock me out, take me to some crazy far away place and then not even use their own horses? The more I thought about it the more it all just seemed ridiculous. It was like a puzzle whose edges were jagged and refused to fit together.

Where had they gotten the castle? We had reached another set of doors and as I lead Destiny on I suddenly felt scared. If none of this made sense, then maybe it wasn't a joke….

"Ready?" Arthur asked and suddenly I wasn't sure if I was.

Because if this wasn't a joke. Then I was a hell of a long way from home.


	3. Chapter 3

**So I reread the first few chapters and I didn't realize that I did not describe Destiny. Sorry! I promise I will. I was just so excited about getting this idea I had out on paper that I rushed it a bit. But I hope you all are still enjoying it. Now that I am on summer break I will have more time to write. And the more you all review with comments and suggestions the more excited I get to write so keep 'em coming! **

They led me through the cobblestone streets of what looked like a village and up to the giant wooden doors of the castle. Everything around us was stone, the walls of the castle, the courtyard that we stood in and the statues that stared down at us from atop the tiled roof. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs and one of the knights stepped up to me, taking Destiny's reins.

"Hey!" I said, yanking my hand back. "What are you doing?"

He looked bemused. "Taking the horse from you."

"Like hell you are."

"She speaks in such a strange way." One of the other knights said and I shot him a scalding look. "Do you think she is an enchantress?"

The other men stiffened and I smiled. Enchantress, hmm, I liked the sound of that. But before I could open my mouth to confirm what he had said, Arthur spoke up.

"Enough!" He said, his voice ringing off the walls, making it sound like he was coming from all around us. All of the men froze and even Destiny and I stood still for a moment, waiting to hear what he would say. He slid off his mount and handed the reins to one of the knights before making his way over to me. "You are causing far more trouble than would be desired. Now, I would like to take you to see Gaius, our court physician. The men will take your mare to the stables. I assure you she will be cared for."

Despite his comforting words, my hands still tightened on the reins. "I don't want to leave her." If all of this was real then Destiny was the only link to my real world and I was afraid that if I let her go I would never be able to get back.

Arthur's eyes softened for a moment. "I understand. But I assure you she will be safe. If you like I will allow you to visit her after you have seen Gaius."

_Allow you._ As if I was his prisoner. I hesitated for a moment shifting uneasily on my feet. I was still too afraid to give in but something in Arthur's eyes weakened my resolve. He looked like he meant the words that he said. If only I could ensure that he would keep to his word. _His word. _Something clicked in the back of my mind.

"Swear it."

"What?" Arthur blinked.

"Swear it." I repeated, my voice coming out stronger. "Swear that she will be safe and that you will allow me to see her as soon as I've done what you ask."

"Clever girl," one of the knights said softly and I smiled.

Arthur eyes looked me up and down as if he were sizing me up before he nodded. "Very well. You have my word."

I sighed, feeling my shoulders relax. Then I nodded. "Alright." I turned to Destiny, running a hand over the white patch that stood out against the black of her nose. "It's okay, girl." I said softly, not caring if the other men heard me speak. "I'll be back soon. I promise. Be good for them."

Destiny tossed her head and whinnied, almost as if she understood me and I finally handed her reins to the knight in front of me. He took them gently and smiled reassuringly.

"She will be taken care of, milady."

_Milady. _The word felt so strange to my ears. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to curtsey so I just shifted awkwardly on my feet before deciding on a nod and a polite smile. The man nodded as well before leading Destiny away.

OooooooO

I followed Arthur up the stairs and into the castle, trying not to gawk at everything we passed.

"Is this the way to see Gaius?" I asked as my eyes swept over a painting that hung on the wall. It was a picture of the country side, beautiful and so brightly colored that I wondered how anyone could every have painted it. But as I looked closely I realized that it wasn't painted, but woven.

"No, this is the way to see my father."

"Your father?" I pulled up short, stopping so fast that the knight behind me had to stumble to the side to avoid hitting me. "You mean the king?"

Arthur glanced back over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Yes. That would be correct." I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at his condescending tone. I wasn't afraid to lip off at the prince but I didn't want to push my luck.

"Why are we going to the king?"

"You were found wandering aimlessly outside of the palace."

"I wasn't wandering-"

Arthur ignored me. "And that is something that the king should know about." He continued walking, forcing me to follow. The halls of the castle were dimly lit and I tried to ignore the way the torches threw shadows across the floor. They writhed and twisted like they were alive, reaching for me with dark hands. I cringed, shying away from them. None of this felt real. I still wasn't convinced that this wasn't just a bad dream. We came to another set of doors and Arthur pushed them open. They swung in with a deep rumble and he motioned for me to follow him inside.

"Wait." I said and all eyes swung to me.

"Yes?"

I looked down at my outfit. The standard uniforms of Medieval Times varied depending on your job. Since I was in charge of the horses I pretty much was allowed to wear what I liked as long as I could move around in it. But I doubted that the jeans and black V-neck t-shirt that I wore were appropriate to meet a king. I thought back to my history lessons and cringed. Kings had sentenced people to death for far less than wearing the wrong outfit.

Someone cleared their throat and I suddenly realized that I had been silent for well over a minute.

"Shouldn't I wear something more-" I searched for a medieval word, "becoming?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow. " Do you have something more becoming."

_Ouch._ And shit. Because I realized that he was right. I hadn't exactly brought along a suitcase for my trip to Camelot. What would you even pack for a trip to another time?

"Um," I cleared my throat, pulling my shoulders back to I would stand tall. Well, real or not, if I was about to meet a king then I should at least appear confident. _Walk like you own it, even if you don't. _"Guess not. Okay. Let's go."

So I held my head high and followed Arthur into the room, readying myself to meet the king.

**There you go! Sorry for the wait. That last quote 'walk like you own it, even if you don't' is something that I actually made up. It was like my motto in high school any time I was feeling insecure. Good words to live by. Let me know what you guys think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am going to start commenting on reviews that people have made (like I do in Superheroes & Stories) so here you go:**

**Blue Turtle of AWESOMENESS****- That's so crazy! Haha I pulled those names out of thin air**

**Lily En Pointe****- Thank you! I am happy to hear my story isn't too fangirly. I do see what you mean though, as I was writing it I thought **_**shit this isn't as good as I want. Why is she going to Uther? This should be a bigger deal.**_** And as for her freaking out at the moment I have it so that she doesn't really believe this is real. She's considering the possibility but she hasn't admitted it. Don't worry, she will have an epiphany soon. **

**E****- Hahah your review (the one about yelling) made my day! Thank you :)**

**If I did not comment on your review it doesn't mean that I don't love you! I read everyone's reviews and I am so grateful and excited any time I get one, so thank you :)**

The room that we entered was long and elegant, with stonewalls and candelabras that stood like guards next to the doors. The windows were made of painted glass that threw puddles of colored light across the floor. At the end of the room sat three thrones carved out of elegant, dark wood. In the one on the right sat a girl about my age. She was dressed in a dark green gown and had long raven hair that fell past her shoulders in waves. She eyed me, her green gaze curious as she took in my outfit. No doubt I looked like some sort of barbarian to her. _Note to self, jeans are only acceptable around the 21__st__ century. _The throne to the left (or the king's right) was empty and I guessed that this was where Arthur must sit most of the time. And in the throne in the middle sat Uther Pendragon, tall and regal.

"Father." Arthur bent down on one knee next to me, bowing his head respectfully. The other knights did the same and I glanced at them nervously. I doubted that women were supposed to drop to the ground like that so I slipped my left foot back and bent low in a respectful curtsy. It had less of the desired effect without a dress but I hoped that it would do. Everyone was staring at me anyway.

When I lifted my head I found Uther staring at me like I was some science experiment that he was disgusted with and curious about at the same time. _Damn my outfit._

"Who is this?"

"This," Arthur said, "is Isabel. The knights and I found her outside the castle. She was lying on the ground next to her horse, dressed like… this."

"Yes, what are you wearing?"

Could we just stop with the whole jeans issue? I opened my mouth to say something but Uther cut me off.

"Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"I… um…" I felt my face flush as I realized that all eyes were on me. And I had no excuse. What was I supposed to tell them? That I had no idea why I was here? Or how I had even gotten here? And oh, by the way, I still don't believe that this isn't all a dream. Well if this was a dream then why couldn't I make things up? So I took a deep breath and dove into it.

"My name is Lady Isabel White and I come from a land called Chicago." _Oh my gosh. _I sounded ridiculous. But I bit my lip and kept a straight face because I had to sell it.

Uther narrowed his eyes. "Chicago. I have never heard of it, where is it located?"

"It's pretty far." I said, stumbling to come up with an excuse. "Near Lake Michigan. I was…. Traveling, to visit relatives but there was… a storm. And I got lost. I saw the castle in the distance and thought that someone could help." It was rough, but at least the story made sense.

"Why are you dressed as so?" The king asked.

"I…" I shifted uneasily on my feet. "The dress that I wore was damaged in the storm. It caught on a branch and weighed my horse and I down as we tried to find shelter. I had to leave it behind and this was all that I had." I didn't explain how I got my outfit because I couldn't think of a good enough reason for me to be wearing men's clothing. I bit my lip and waited to hear the king's response.

He studied me for a moment, his eyes disbelieving. "Very well." He said and I sagged with relief, but his next words made my heart sink. "I will need to look into your story."

_Great. What story?_ He would look into my story and find out that Chicago didn't exist. I didn't exist. At least not yet.

"Until then," he continued, "you will be kept in close quarters. You will be given a room but you will be guarded at all times."

"I will be what?"

"Arthur please escort her to one of the rooms in the east wing. Ensure that she is comfortable, but keep an eye on her."

"Yes, father." Arthur placed a hand on my shoulder and I gasped at the sudden pain that licked its way down my arm.

"Oh my gosh." My body contracted and Arthur stumbled back in surprise. "Lady Isabel? What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

I nodded, tears stinging at the corners of my eyes. "It's my shoulder."

Arthur took a step forward and reached out gently, palms forward. "May I examine it?"

I hesitated, not wanting to feel that burning pain again, but I knew he only wanted to help so I nodded. He gently touched a hand to my shoulder blade. In a second the pain was back and I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering. I thought I did an okay job of holding myself together but Arthur noticed and his expression darkened.

"Father," he turned to the king, "I must take her to see Gaius, her shoulder could be badly injured."

Uther nodded. "Very well." Then he settled back into his seat, signaling that my audience with the king was over.

OooooooO

Arthur led me back through the halls of the castle but this time I didn't look around. I would have asked where exactly we were going but my shoulder was enough to distract me. After about five minutes Arthur pushed open one of the many doors that lined the hall and ushered me in. Inside was a mess of beakers, papers and medical tools. It looked like a mix between a library, science lab and medieval clinic.

At one of the tables sat a man with stark white hair that hung against his shoulders. He looked to be in his late 70s or 80s and I guessed that this must be Gaius. A second later Arthur confirmed my suspicions.

"Gaius."

Gaius raised his head and immediately jumped to his feet. "What's wrong?"

"This is Isabel. I believe that something is wrong with her shoulder."

Gaius nodded and took a step forward, helping Arthur to settle me down on one of the wooden benches. Once I was seated he began to examine my shoulder, prodding it as gently as he could. "Has anything happened in the past few days that could injure you?"

I started to shake my head when I suddenly remembered. When I had run into the arena to calm Destiny she reared and struck my shoulder. "My horse. She kicked my shoulder."

"When did this happen?"

"Not long. Just yesterday."

Gaius nodded and took a step back. "Well I will have to examine it further but it appears that you could have a fracture. The bruising and swelling should go down in a few days. I will give you some cool cloths to place on it as well as some herbs for the pain."

I nodded numbly, still trying to make sense of it all. I had been hurt before, this was nothing new, but pain like this couldn't happen. Not in a dream. And as I sat there on that bench, it finally hit me. This was real. It was all real.


	5. Chapter 5

I didn't faint but I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing for a few seconds.

It was Arthur's voice that brought me back. "She looks pale. Do you think the pain is making her ill?"

"I-I'm not ill." I said although I wasn't sure that was true. My head felt light and my entire body was numb from shock. This was real. This was _real. _I wasn't dreaming. I wasn't in some shock-inflicted coma from what had happened in the arena. But if I wasn't, then how could this be true? How could it all have happened?

I needed answers. But I wasn't going to get them by sitting there in shock. So I sucked in a breath and did my best to steady my racing heart.

"You will need medication." Gaius said. "And those cloths, I will have someone fetch them for you."

"Very well." Arthur reached out and took my hand, helping me to my feet. "Have someone deliver it to her room. She will be staying in the east wing."

Gaius nodded. "As you wish, sire." _Sire. _Would I have to start calling him that? "But before you go-" He turned his back and reached for a long piece of white cloth. Then he gently reached out, taking my arm. "It may hurt to move this a bit, so I will attempt to be as gentle as possible."

"What are you doing?" I asked, fighting the urge to yank my arm out of his grasp.

"I am making you a sling to immobilize your arm." Gaius spoke as he worked, never taking his eyes off the cloth. "Luckily your bone does not need to be set, but you will need to keep it stable in order to ensure that it heals correctly. I suggest using a pillow to rest it on at night."

He was speaking so calmly, as if it was normal that I had just broken my collarbone and he had no advice other than 'ice and rest it.' If I was in my world I would have had to go to the hospital, but here there weren't any ERs or medications that could help. Would my arm get infected? Would they have to cut it off? Wasn't that what they did back in the old days?

"My dear you are so pale, is the prince right? Are you in pain?" Gaius went to reach for more herbs but I shook my head.

"No, it's not the pain. I'm just freaking out a bit."

"Are you frightened for your injury?" Gaius asked. "I ensure you will be fine."

Arthur nodded. "Gaius is the best physician you could see. He will ensure that you are taken care of. But for now-" he placed a hand on my shoulder, carful to ensure that it was not the one that Destiny had kicked, "-we need to go."

"To my room?" I looked up at him. "What, am I being put in time-out?"

"Time what?" Arthur asked, his brows burrowing in confusion.

"Never mind." I muttered. I pushed his hand off of me and sighed. I just needed to be away from everyone so I could think. Maybe going to my room was the answer. "Off to the east wing then, right?"

Arthur nodded. He took a step back and motioned to the door, allowing me to exit first before I followed him down the hall and away from Gaius's office.

OoooooooO

We made the first length of the journey in silence. I had no idea where the east wing was so I followed Arthur, hoping that 'east wing' wasn't code for 'dungeon.' As we walked a thought came to me and after a few minutes I spoke up.

"You promised me I could see my horse after we were done talking to the king."

"I know."

"You gave me your word."

"I know." Arthur turned to me, an exasperated look on his face. "I gave you my word and I intend to keep it, but for the moment I have orders to take you to your room and that is what I am going to do."

Okay, wrong subject to try and bring up. But luckily for me we had made it to a hallway lined with more rooms than any other and I guessed that this must be the east wing. Armored men guarded one of the doors on each side and Arthur brought us to a stop in front of it, motioning for them to move aside. Then he opened the door and led me inside. And my jaw dropped.

I had never seen a room like this. In the corner were two plush chairs, set in front of a fireplace that glowed softly with light. There was an a dresser made of dark chestnut wood on one wall and next to it sat a dressing table with a beautiful gold lined mirror. That alone was any girl's dream, but then my eyes fell on the bed. It was enormous. Made of wood to match the dresser, it had four posts, which stretched up to hold a canopy that hung above the bed. The sheets were a deep blue, the same color of the sky right before the sun set.

"It's beautiful." I said softly.

My back was to Arthur but I could hear the faint smile in his voice. "I'm pleased you like it. My father may have you under the watch of guards but we are hardly ones to dishonor a lady. You will be made comfortable until we ensure that your story is true and then we will assist you in finding your family."

_Ensure that your story is true. Great. Good luck doing that._

I smiled and nodded graciously. "Thank you."

The prince motioned to the dresser. "There are gowns stocked in there so you may get changed. A servant will be up to bring you something to eat and Gaius should be sending someone to give you what he prescribed. But for now I must leave you."

He turned to go out the door but I ran to him, grabbing his arm.

"Wait!"

Arthur turned back, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at my grip and I quickly let go.

"What about Destiny?"

"Destiny?" He looked confused for a moment.

"My horse." I shook my head. "That's the name of my horse."

"Right." He nodded. "She is being cared for."

"I want to see her."

"You will."

"When?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You are quite demanding, do you know that?"

"Yes. Now when can I see my horse?"

"Soon." He said shortly. "But not now. I really must go."

And before I could say another word he was gone.

OoooooooooO

I spent about half an hour lying on my bed just staring up at the canopy. I didn't even bother changing into new clothes, too frustrated with my situation. I was still no closer to figuring out what was going on, or even what to do, when there was a knock on the door. I lifted my head, not bothering to get up.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly and a head poked in, the head of a boy. He looked like he could be about Arthur's age with dark hair and bright eyes, which glanced curiously around the room.

"Is this the room of Lady Isabel?"

"Yes." I sat up, thinking about how I would have to get used to people calling me 'lady.'

"I am here to deliver medication and cloths from Gaius."

"Oh yeah, you can put them over there." I motioned to the dressing table and the boy entered, quickly crossing the room to place the items there. Then he turned to me and smiled.

"Thank you-" I paused waiting for him to fill in his name.

"Merlin."

"Merlin." I repeated. And that time I really did faint.


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is a bit longer cause Isabel has some explaining to do ;) Enjoy!**

I woke to a pair of blue eyes hovering a few inches over my face.

I screamed.

The eyes blinked. "Gaius, she's awake."

"Yes, Merlin, I can see that." Gaius's face appeared next to Merlin's, his look concerned. "Are you alright my dear?"

"I'm not-" I started to say, and then the first part of his sentence sank in. _Merlin. _My eyes widened as I took in the boy. "You're Merlin?"

"Yes." He nodded. "We met earlier, although I am sure with everything that happened you may have forgotten."

I ignored him, my mind still working to process his name. "_The _Merlin?"

"Yes?" He looked confused. "Have we met before?"

"No." I shook my head. "Not likely. Shouldn't you be... older?"

"Um… no?" Merlin looked up at Gaius. "Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure." The physician leaned closer, as if my ailment would be written somewhere on my forehead. "Did she knock her head when she fell?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, she didn't even get off her bed. Her head fell back against the pillows."

I almost laughed. That sounded like an old Hollywood faint. Slowly I pushed myself up into a sitting position, careful not to put too much pressure on my collarbone.

"Careful." Gaius warned gently.

I shook my head. "It's fine. I'm fine. I just-" I broke off for a second, considering my words before I said them. "-I need some answers."

"Answers?" This time it was Gaius's turn to look confused. "To what questions?"

"That's what I'm trying to work out." I said softly. I chewed on my lip, trying to decide which to ask first. "Well, for one, aren't you supposed to be a magician?"

You would have thought Merlin had just swallowed a lemon. His mouth puckered and his eyes widened as half of the blood drained from his face. "What?"

"You're a magician." I repeated. "Right? Don't you have magic?"

Gaius pushed himself up from his seat, hurrying to the door. I flinched; watching as he quickly pushed it closed.

"What is it?" I asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Magic," Gaius said, his voice suddenly grave, "is forbidden in this land. It is punishable by death."

"Death?" I gasped. "Why?"

"It is the law decreed by the king."

I blinked. "Uther is afraid of magic?" But Merlin did magic and wasn't Merlin Arthur's advisor? I didn't know much about King Arthur but I did know that. "So does he know about yours?" My eyes shifted to Merlin and he stiffened again.

"No." He said and out of the corner of my eye I saw Gaius frown.

"Merlin." He said sternly.

"What?" Merlin asked. "She seems to know about it anyway."

"Yes." Gaius nodded, his gaze turning to me. "The question is how do you know that?"

His look was both cautious and curious and I realized that I was in trouble. How was I supposed to explain my situation to these two? Magic was one thing, but time travel? That was insane. And what if Gaius threw me in a mental hospital or something? If he told the king I was crazy then I had no doubt that I would be carted off faster than I could speak up to defend myself. But I had to tell someone, didn't I? I was alone and Merlin was a magician, surely he would be the most likely person to believe me. And if he was as powerful as I thought… then maybe he could get me home.

I sighed, sucking in a breath as I readied myself for the story. "I- I am not from around here."

Gaius still looked confused. "Yes, the prince said that you are from a different land."

"Chicago."

"Yes." He nodded.

I raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever heard of Chicago?"

Both men paused, their eyes moving to the ceiling as they thought.

"Well…." Gaius said.

"No." Merlin finished for him. "Where is it?"

"That's just it. It doesn't exist."

"You lied to the king?" Gaius bristled and I hurried to fill in the blanks.

"No, I didn't. I promise. I am from Chicago but I have no idea how I got here. I…" I took another deep breath and sighed. "I'm from the future."

Complete silence.

Merlin was the first to speak. "You're from the future?" He looked up at Gaius, as if the old man was in on it. "Is this a joke?"

I cringed. _Shit. No, no, no._ They had to believe me. Otherwise I was in big trouble. "No." I said, my words coming out in a rush. "I am from the future I swear." The men looked at men, their eyes full of doubt and my heart sank as I realized my words weren't enough. Of course they weren't enough.

I leaned back against the cot and shifted as I felt something dig into my backside. It was like there was a small block under me. _What the-?_ I thought, and then my eyes widened.

My cell phone.

When I got to work I had tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans to keep safe. It was a wonder Arthur and the knights hadn't seen it, my t-shirt must have been long enough to hide it. But I was in luck because this was exactly what I needed. I pulled the device out of my pocket, holding it out so the men could see. Merlin's eyes widened.

"What is that?"

"It's proof." I said. "This is something that only could come from my world. My- time, actually, I guess."

I touched a button and the screen lit up, displaying a picture of me holding a laughing Jeremy. My heart tugged as I saw his face, so much smaller than the boy that I had left behind. He was just three years old when we had taken that picture.

"What is this witchcraft?" Gaius gasped.

I looked up at him, my eyebrows coming together in disbelief. "Are you serious? Witchcraft? You just admitted that Merlin has magic and yet when I pull out my cell phone it's witchcraft? In my time these are as common as a horse for you people."

"What is it?" Merlin asked and when I looked at him his eyes were shining bright with curiosity. He reached a hand forward to touch it, then immediately pulled back as if he was not sure if it was safe.

I laughed. "Here." I reached for his hand and held his wrist gently as I placed the cellphone in his hand. "It won't hurt you. It's how we communicate in my time. Everyone has a set of numbers, like a code, and if I want to talk to someone who is far away from me I type in their code and they can hear me through this device."

"They can hear you? Even from miles away?" Merlin traced a finger over the screen, an enchanted look on his face.

I smiled. "Yeah."

Merlin lifted his head to look at Gaius. "Gaius, can you explain this?"

The old man shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it before."

"Then what she says is true?"

I could see in Gaius's eyes that he wanted to deny it, but he didn't know how.

I held out my hands, palms forward as I looked up at him. "I promise you." I said. "I am telling the truth. I have no idea how I got here and until an hour ago I wasn't even convinced that it was real. I need your help."

The physician bit his lip.

"Please." I said softly. "I have to get home."

"If the king finds out he would never believe you. He would assume that you are a sorceress and will have you killed."

I stiffened but then immediately relaxed as I realized what he was saying. His words were a warning, but not a threat. He wouldn't tell on me. Somehow I knew that.

"So- you believe me?"

"I believe that you are in distress and that you do indeed need help. As for the rest…" He paused. "I am a man of science but I do believe in faith."

I let out a breath that I didn't even realize I was holding. _He believed me. They believed me. _

Merlin held out my phone and I took it from him, placing it back in my pocket as I made a mental note to get rid of it later.

"So," Merlin said. "If you are from the future, that still doesn't explain how you knew about my magic?"

"Oh."

Well that was another very long story.


	7. Chapter 7

**Now this is where the plot of the series starts a little more :) I am starting at the first episode so Isabel came into town about the same time Merlin did. Ready to see her butt heads with Arthur a bit?**

Explaining to Merlin how I knew about his magic was trickier than I thought. When Arthur told me that he was not yet king, that had changed everything. Not to mention the fact that Merlin was a boy in his mid twenties and not a hundred year old man. This world was nothing like I had expected and unfortunately that meant that I was even more clueless than I had originally thought. If I told him what I knew it was almost as good as lying. I could alter the future. And if there was one thing that television and bad movies taught you, it was that altering ones future was not a good idea.

So I told him enough to convince him without giving anything away. After we were done speaking Gaius led me back to my room. He handed me a small glass bottle of medication- something to help with the shock- and gave me instructions to rest. And then he left me with the parting words: 'you should really change your clothes.'

I entered my new room and fished my phone out of my back pocket. I knew that I needed to hide it but I still wanted to keep this piece of my world close, in the same way that I was fearful of losing Destiny. I glanced around my room, looking for somewhere to put it. There was a chest near the foot of my bed but that was no good, that would be the first place that someone would look if my room was searched.

But the bed… I made my way over to one of the four posters and reached out, running a hand down the cloth of the canopy. The dark blue silk felt cool against my fingers and I studied the tassels of the cord that held the curtains bunched by each of the four posts. If I moved it, there was just enough room to tuck something underneath and into the folds of the cloth. I took my phone and placed it in there, taking a step back to make sure that it was hidden.

Once I was satisfied I turned my attention to the wardrobe. Inside were dozens of beautiful dresses, ball gowns, day gowns and nightgowns of every color. I ran my hands over them, recalling how the costume artists at Medieval Times had worked to create these beautiful costume replicas. They were nowhere close. My hand fell on a midnight blue dress, much like the color of my bed curtains, and I pulled it out. I set it on my bed and quickly changed, tucking my clothes away in the chest before slipping the dress over my head. I found some pins in the drawer of the dressing table and secured my hair back in a bun. A few dark strands fell loose next to my face but I left them, deciding it was the best I could do. I looked in the mirror and nodded at my appearance.

Good enough. Now it was time to go exploring.

OooooooO

I knew that the guards wouldn't let me out of their sight so I allowed them to follow me into the village. The streets of the town were crowded with people- merchants peddling their goods, peasants shopping- and I smiled, politely declining as a man tried to shove some fruit into my hands. Up ahead there was an archway and I heard voices in the distance. Voices that I recognized.

"Come on, run!"

_Arthur._

I made my way through the doorway and found myself in an open and grassy courtyard. A young man was running back and forth as he carried a giant wooden wheel. In front of him stood Arthur and some men and I watched in horror as he threw daggers at the board that the young man was carrying.

"We want some moving target practice!" He laughed, glancing back at his friends with a grin.

_That bastard. _

The boy stumbled, dropping the wheel and it rolled a few feet before landing at Merlin's feet. I hadn't noticed him when I had first entered but now he took a step forward.

"Hey." He said. "Come on that's enough."

Arthur looked baffled as if he had never had someone talk back to him before. "What?"

Merlin continued. "You've had your fun my friend."

Arthur paused for a moment before walking up to the young wizard. "Do I know you?"

I practically gasped. What? How could they not know each other?

"I'm Merlin." He extended his hand but Arthur didn't take it.

"So I don't know you."

"No."

"Yet you called me 'friend.'"

Merlin nodded. "That was my mistake."

_Uh oh. _I thought. There was definitely about to be a fight.

"Yes, I think so." Arthur's voice was tight and arrogant and I wanted to slap that smile right off his face. He sounded like some asshole jock that was talking to a kid in the chess club. Just because he was a prince did not give him the right to be so rude.

Merlin paused and everyone waited eagerly for his reply. They were not disappointed.

"I could never have a friend that was such an ass."

Some of the crowd gasped and I stiffened. Points to Merlin for a good comeback but that was the wrong thing to say. Okay, time to cut this off. I took a step forward.

Arthur was starting to tell Merlin how stupid he was when he noticed me. "Lady Isabel." He looked surprised for a moment and I reveled in the chance to throw him off guard.

"Hello Arthur."

"You changed." His eyes swept me up and down and I blushed for a moment. "The dress suits you."

I didn't reply to the compliment. "Why were you treating him like that?"

"Who?"

"That boy." I motioned to the young man who had been carrying the wheel.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "He is my servant."

"So that gives you the right to be a jerk?"

Okay, maybe it wasn't the best thing to say but I was annoyed too.

My words wiped the good-natured look right off Arthur's face. "You do not speak to me like that."

"Where I come from no one would stand by and watch you treat someone like that."

"Well you are not in your land." He challenged.

"I'd say." I tightened by jaw before turning to Merlin. "Hello, Merlin."

"Hello, Lady Isabel." He nodded politely.

"You two know each other?"

I turned back to Arthur. "Yes, we do. I met him after you left me in my room. And this is how a man in my time behaves. Not like a bully and a coward."

The crowd gasped again and Arthur's expression darkened. "Tell me, do you two know how to walk on your knees?" His words were a threat for Merlin but as his eyes swept over my figure I knew that they had an entirely different meaning for me. I felt my face flush.

"You bastard." I started to say but Merlin caught my arm.

"No." He said flatly.

"Would you like me to help you?" Arthur took a few steps forward until he was right in Merlin's face and I had to hold myself back from pushing him away.

"I wouldn't if I were you." I growled.

Arthur's eyes moved to me. "And why not? What are you two going to do to me?"

"You have no idea." Merlin said softly.

The prince laughed. "Be my guest." He took a step back, opening his arms and I immediately felt uneasy. This was a trap. "Come on." He encouraged. "Come on!"

He was egging Merlin on and unfortunately the taunting was working. I could feel the young man tense beside me and as much as I wanted to hit Arthur myself I knew that it would lead to trouble.

"Leave it alone, Merlin." I said softly. "He isn't worth it."

I went to turn away and Arthur laughed. "Yeah that's right, Merlin. Listen to your friend. Walk away. It's time you girls left anyway."

"Excuse me?" I said, right as Merlin's fist went flying through the air. But unfortunately Merlin was only a peasant and the prince had years of fighting experience. He blocked the blow easily and forced Merlin's arm behind his back.

"Stop!" I said but one of the guards grabbed me before I could intervene.

"I'll throw you in jail for that." Arthur said and Merlin struggled, trying to break free.

"Who do you think you are, the king?"

"No, I'm his son, Arthur." And with one final blow Merlin was on the ground on his knees.

_Damn it, Arthur. _


End file.
